Method of making casket tops and the like



Oct. 6, 1964 o. SCHEIVENELL 3,151,390

METHOD OF MAKING CASKET TOPS AND THE LIKE Filed May 17, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1964 L. o. SCHEVENELL 3, 0

METHOD OF MAKING CASKET TOPS AND THE LIKE Filed May 17, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 f4 67 7? 42 a I l 1 N VEN TOR.

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United States Patent 3,151,390 METHOD OF MAKING CASKET TOPS AND THE LIKE Leonard G. Schevenell, Niles, 111., assignor to The Merit Company, Chicago, 1th., a corporation of Illinois Filed May 17, 1%3, Ser. No. 281,126 9 Claims. (Cl. 29-407) This invention relates to a method for making matching parts for a casket top and particularly relates to making a half part of a casket top which will always match up with other half parts similarly made.

An object of this invention is a method for making casket tops more quickly and less expensively.

Another object is a method for making casket parts which makes it unnecessary to carefully stock and control the matching parts.

Another object is a method by which casket tops may be made by repeatedly forming a single part of the casket top.

Another object is a method in which portions of casket tops may be simply made and conveniently stored Without incurring any possibility of mismatching.

Another object is a method which eliminates the necessity of tedious and meticulous control measures for maintaining matching casket portions.

Another object is a method for making a casket part in which the front end is squarely trimmed from a reference line so that the front trim matches a similarly trimmed end of another casket part.

Another object is a method whereby the vertical sides of the casket part are folded with reference to a gauged point so that the sides match the vertical sides of another casket part which sides have been folded by similar reference to a gauge point.

Such objects are realised along with other objects which will become apparent to the skilled man in the following disclosure. This disclosure includes a detailed description of the invention and drawing illustrations in which FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic front view showing dies prior to performing the drawing operation,

IGURE 2 is a bottom plan View of the formed sheet, FIGURE 3 is a front View of the formed sheet FIGURE 4 is a bottom plan view of the trimmed and formed sheet,

FIGURE 5 is a bottom plan view of the finished top casket part, and

FIGURE 6 is a front end view of the finished top casket part.

FIGURE 1 is intended to illustrate the drawing operation whereby a sheet of deformable material 10 is formed between an upper die 12 and a lower die 14. The sheet of material which may be formed of steel is usually made taut before the dies form the impression so that creases do not appear in the forming step. This is accomplished by forming a draw bead along the periphery of the sheet, and this draw bead may be first formed by moving draw pads 16, 18 up against the sheet so that grooves or recesses 20, 22 press the sheet around arcuate ridge 24, 26. The draw pads may be acuated by hydraulic or pneumatic means indicated at 23 and 30.

The formed sheet which is removed after the drawing operation has a configuration generally as shown in FIG- URES 2 and 3. The draw bead 32 is seen around the periphery of the sheet. This portion of the casket top will eventually be fabricated to represent a one-half part of a casket top which may be matched with a similarly fabricated one-half part.

The formed sheet has a raised center panel 34 which is defined by side lines 36, 38 and end line 40. These foregoing lines will also be referred to herein as reference lines for reasons to be disclosed. The center panel is shown as a raised arcuate part but it is understood that such panels may be made in other configurations. The parts of the pressed sheet which extend from the panel are sloping side frames 41, 42 and a sloping end frame 44. Horizontal side panels 46, 48 extend from the side frames and a substantially horizontal end panel 56) extends from the end frame.

The formed sheet is next subjected to a trimming operation in which a straight and square cut is made across the front of the part, and the side and end panels are cut in a controlled manner so that standard vertical side Walls and a vertical end wall may be made for the casket part. The trimming cut is indicated by phantom outline in FIG- URE 2 and the trimmed half part is shown in FIGURE 4. The front is squarely trimmed long line 54 by moving a trimming means, which may be a knife in a cutting die, an exact distance as determined by reference to line 40. In this Way the trim along line 54 will be exactly square, that is, will be at right angles to the side panels for the casket top. The side panels are out along lines 56 and 58 by moving the trimming means to a determined distance as determined by reference to lines 36 and 38. The trimmed sides of these panels will likewise be essentially square.

The end panel will be cut along line 60 by similarly moving the trimming means a determined distance from end reference line as. The side and end panels will be further trimmed on one side along lines 62, 64 and on the other side along lines 66 and 68 by moving the trimming means in relation to the corresponding reference lines, or the cutting may be made by reference to where the panel extends horizontally from its adjoining frame.

In the trimming operation, notches or gauge points 72, 74 are placed in one side panel; notches 76, 78- are placed in the other side panel; and notches 80 and 82 are placed in the end panel. All the foregoing gauge points are positioned by moving trimming means a determined distance in relation to the corresponding reference line. Thus, reference line 36 is used for gauge points 72, 74;

reference line 38 is used for gauge points 76, 78; and

reference line 40 is usedfor gauge points 80, 82.

These gauge points are used to guide and control the folding operation of the side panels and the end panel. By using these guide points, the fold may be correctly placed in the side panels in a variety of ways to form the vertical side walls and the vertical end wall of the half casket top. One way in which this may be done is to engage, say, guide points 76, 78 with pins set at a predetermined distance and positioned on one of a pair of 'folding jaws. The other jaw may be moved to a closed position and the side panel may be folded along a predetermined line. It is emphasized that the fold need not be along the line defined by the two gauge points but may be to one or the other side of such gauge points. In any given folding means, it is only necessary that the pins, or other means which coact with the gauge points, are positioned in the folding means so that the folding will occur at the edge of a movable jaw. It may also be at the edge of folding form positioned by an operator over the side Many other possibilities will occur to those skilled in this art, and such possibilities include the con- 7 panel.

ventional folding operations as well as novel operations which may be designed to fold the panels in this process. In FIGURE 6, two folds have been made at 84 and 86 to define a substantially vertical side wall 88 and a bottom wall 90. A similar pair of folds in the other side panel forms corresponding side and bottom walls.

The end panel is folded in a similar'manner by referring guage points 80, '82 to coacting means set at apredetermined position in folding means. Two folds are made to form a substantially vertical end wall 92 and a w substantially horizontal bottom wall 94. The adjoining corners of the side panels and end panel may be folded or cut as shown by phantom lines in FIGURE 4 so that the bottom walls of such panels meet at mitered lines or junctions such as 96 and 98.

An arcuate insert 100 may be fitted in the front of the one-half casket part so that a straight surface is provided which will be adapted to lie against a similar a straight surface of another inset in the matching casket part placed end to end. The insert may be formed to lie against the folds in the side panel and the configurations of the frame as well as the development portion of the panel. The insert may further be secured in position by brazing as at 102.

The use and operation of my invention are as follows:

Drawing, trimming and folding operations are made on one part alone so that the part will exactly match any other part similarly made according to this process. Great advantages are immediately apparent when one considers that it was necessary to first fabricate a complete casket top and then cut it in half in order to have matching parts. Further, it was necessary to keep the matching parts together at all times because displacement of any one part would render the casket top useless.

It is now possible to draw, trim, and fold a number of half parts which may be stacked, stocked and shipped together. A casket top may easily be assembled by selecting any two half parts at random and placing them end to end.

It has been shown how the trimming operation is performed by cutting the front end of the casket part squarely by controlling the trimming means in relation to a reference line which separates the end of the panel from the end frame. The side panels are squarely trimmed also by controlling the trimming means in relation to side reference lines which separate the side of the panel from the side frames. Finally, the end panel may be squarely trimmed by controlling the trimming means in relation to the reference lines separating the end of the panel from the end frame, the same reference line used for squarely trimming the front of the casket part. These reference lines have been illustrated at the creases or folds which define the center panel but it should be understood that such reference lines may be simply a marking and not a crease or fold. Further, the reference lines need not necessarily define or set off the center panel from the frames. The idea is to have a pair of side reference lines to determine the distance of the trimming means for squarely trimming the substantially horizontal side panels and for placing the notches or gauge points in the side panels. Also, it is only necessary to have an end reference line for correctly determining the distance of the trimming means to squarely cut the end panel and to place the notches or gauge points in the end panels. used to control the trimming means to squarely cut the front of the casket part.

The guide points in the side panels and the end panels may be any type of indicia to which the subsequent folding of the panels may be referred. They have been shown as notches to be positioned against pins or stops in a folding means, but they may also be simple marks to which folding means may be related.

With the steps of this process, theflvertical side walls will always be folded so that they will match the vertical side walls of another unit which have been folded in accordance with this process. The end wall of the casket parts may be folded to match the ends of the adjoining side walls.

The number and type of folds may be widely varied to satisfy the particular aesthetic design of the manufacturer so long as allthe folds are made in reference to gauge points. The resulting side walls, which may This end reference line will also be have a plurality of panels in different planes, will match another part similarly folded according to the process.

Having thus describe several embodiments of the invention it can now be seen that the objects of the invention have been fully achieved and it must be understood that changes and modifications may be made which do not depart from the spirit of the invention nor from the scope thereof as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A method for making a part of a casket top which is adapted to be matched with a similarly made casket part to complete the top casket unit which includes the steps of deforming a sheet of material to make a raised center panel, substantially horizontal side panels, and a substantially horizontal end panel, placing a side reference line on each side of the center panel, placing an end reference line on the end of the center panel, squarely trimming the front of the casket part by controlling the trim from the end reference line, trimming the side panels by controlling the trim from the adjacent side reference line, placing a plurality of guide points on the side panels and the end panel, gauging said points on the side panels in relation to the adjacent side reference line, gauging said points on the end panel in relation to the end reference line, and using the points to measure the folding line for forming substantially vertical side and end Walls of the casket part.

2. A method as in claim 1 further characterized by and including the step or" making another fold in the side and end panels to form a substantially horizontal bottom Wall, said additional fold also controlled by relating the fold line to the gauge points in the panels.

3. The method of claim 1 further characterized by and including the step of placing a formed insert at the squarely trimmed front ends of the casket part and fixing the insert therein so as to provide a fiat surface to match a like fiat surface of another casket part.

4. The method according to claim 1 further characterized in that the gauge points are placed in the ends of the panels an equidistance from their adjoiningreference line.

5. A method for making a part of a casket top-which is adapted to be matched with a similarly made casket part to complete the top casket unit which includes the steps of pressing a sheet of deformable material between form defining means to form a raised center panel, sloping frame portions extending from the sides and end of the center panel, a substantially horizontal side panel eX- tending from the frame portion in one side of the center panel, a substantially horizontal side panel extending from the frame portion on the other side of the center panel, and asubstantially horizontal end panel extending from theframe portion at the end of the center panel, placing side reference lines to define the center panel. from the sloping frame portion placing an end reference line to define the end of the center panel from the sloping frame portion squarely trimming the front of the center panel and the front of the side frame by controlling the trim a determined distance in relation to the end reference line, trimming the side of the panels by controlling the trim a determined distance from the adjacent side reference line, placing a plurality of guide points at the side panels by positioning the points at the side panels in relationto the'corresponding adjacent side reference line,

placing a plurality of guide points on the end panel by positioning the points in relation to the end reference line and folding a portion of the side panels and the end panel in relation'to the position to the various guide points so that uniformly positioned, substantially vertical side walls in thecasket top are formed alongside the side frames and'a substantially vertical end wall is formed alongside the end frame.-

6. A method as in claim 5 further characterized by and including the step of making-another fold in the side and end panels to form a substantially horizontal bottom wall, said additional fold also controlled by relating the fold line to the gauge points in the panels.

7. The method according to claim 5 further characterized in that the gauge points are placed in the ends of the panels an equidistance from their adjoining reference line.

8. A method for making part of a casket top which is adapted to be matched with a similarly made part to complete the top casket unit which includes the steps of pressing a sheet of deformable material between form defining means to form a raised center panel, a substantially horizontal side panel on one side of the center panel, a substantially horizontal side panel on the other side of the center panel and a substantially horizontal end panel at the end of the center panel, placing a side reference line between one side panel and the center panel, placing another reference line between the other side panel and the center panel, and placing an end reference line between the end panel and the center panel, squarely trimming the front of the casket part by controlling the trim a determined distance in relation to the end reference line, trimming the side of the panels by controlling the trim a determined distance from the adjacent side reference line, positioning a plurality of guide notches on each side panel and the end panel, positioning said notches on the side panels in relation to the adjacent reference line, positioning the notches on the end panel in relation to the end reference line, engaging the notches with stops in folding means to control the folding line in the side panels for forming substantially vertical side walls, and engaging the notches in the end panel with stops to control the folding line to form a substantially vertical end wall of the casket part.

9. A method as in claim 5 further characterized by and including the step of making another fold in the side and end panels to form a substantially horizontal bottom wall, said additional fold also controlled by relating to fold line to the gauge points in the panels.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,926,420 Boling Mar. 1, 1960 

1. A METHOD FOR MAKING A PART OF A CASKET TOP WHICH IS ADAPTED TO BE MATCHED WITH A SIMILARLY MADE CASKET PART TO COMPLETE THE TOP CASKET UNIT WHICH INCLUDES THE STEPS OF DEFORMING A SHEET OF MATERIAL TO MAKE A RAISED CENTER PANEL, SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL SIDE PANELS, AND A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL END PANEL, PLACING A SIDE REFERENCE LINE ON EACH SIDE OF THE CENTER PANEL, PLACING AN END REFERENCE LINE ON THE END OF THE CENTER PANEL, SQUARELY TRIMMING THE FRONT OF THE CASKET PART BY CONTROLLING THE TRIM FROM THE END REFERENCE LINE, TRIMMING THE SIDE PANELS BY CONTROLLING THE TRIM FROM THE ADJACENT SIDE REFERENCE LINE, PLACING A PLURALITY OF GUIDE POINTS ON THE SIDE PANELS AND THE END PANEL, GAUGING SAID POINTS ON THE SIDE PANELS IN RELATION TO THE ADJACENT SIDE REFERENCE LINE, GAUGING SAID POINTS ON THE END PANEL IN RELATION TO THE END REFERENCE LINE, AND USING THE POINTS TO MEASURE THE FOLDING LINE FOR FORMING SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL SIDE AND END WALLS OF THE CASKET PART. 